HR: 1340h
AN: ED23B-1280    [Abstracts]
TI: Project WEST: Fostering Scientific Inquiry and Collaborations From K Through Gray
AU: Godsey, H S
EM: godsey@earth.utah.edu
AF: Dept. of Geology and Geophysics, Univ. of Utah, 135 S. 1460 E., Salt Lake City, UT 84112, United States
AU: * Chapman, D S
EM: David.Chapman@gradschool.utah.edu
AF: The Graduate School, Univ. of Utah, 201 S. President's Circle, Salt Lake City, UT 84112, United States
AB: WEST (Water, the Environment, Science and Teaching) is a science education and outreach program at the University of Utah. WEST partners graduate students in the sciences with K-12 teachers to enhance inquiry- based science teaching in the Salt Lake City urban area. WEST has capitalized on the expertise of faculty and graduate students, scientists from state and federal agencies, local advocacy groups, and K-12 teachers to develop several placed-based scientific field projects for K-12 students. University members provide science content and ideas; state and federal researchers provide practical application and, often times, financial support; advocacy groups provide a tie to the community, and teachers provide a conduit for translating complex science concepts to students. These collaborations are built around a mutual interest in science education and anthropogenic influences on the quality and quantity of water resources critical to life in the arid West. Participants are relied upon to bring their unique perspective to each of the projects in order to meet a number of criteria: 1) projects should involve students in the entire scientific process from developing a hypothesis, making observations, data collection and analysis, 2) projects should be place-based and address interactions of water, the environment and society, and 3) projects should be directly tied to state education standards at appropriate grade levels. Examples of these projects include a water-quality study of Great Salt Lake where students participated in a research project on the lake. Students learned about navigation tools, collected and examined brine shrimp, and measured sulfide and chlorophyll concentrations as indicators of anthropogenic influences to Great Salt Lake. Hydrologists from the University of Utah and U.S. Geological Survey helped design this project and the Utah Dept. of Environmental Quality provided critical funds and supplies. In another project, students were involved in the restoration of a small wetland located in the city's Tracy Aviary. Students participated in documenting existing vegetation, researching healthy-state wetlands, writing reports, and presenting recommendations to a panel of experts from the Aviary and the Utah Dept. of Natural Resources. Students will be involved in the physical restoration process as a follow-up to this project. This year, WEST is designing a watershed water quality project to systematically test the quality of the rivers and streams that supply the Salt Lake City Metropolitan area. Students will utilize multi-parameter water-quality monitors to measure dissolved oxygen, specific conductance, water temperature, turbidity, and pH, and will collaborate with University of Utah scientists to develop a coherent picture of the state of the watershed. It is hoped that the interactions of the students with the scientists and their involvement in authentic research experiences will give context and meaning to the concepts learned and solidify an interest in science for society.
UR: http://www.earth.utah.edu/west
DE: 0815 Informal education
DE: 1803 Anthropogenic effects (4802, 4902)
DE: 1834 Human impacts
DE: 1890 Wetlands (0497)
SC: Education and Human Resources [ED]
MN: 2007 Fall Meeting